Richard schwarting



UNITE' STATESV RICHARD SCl-IWARTING, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CRUTC'H.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 616,738, dated December 27, 1898. Application filed March 14, 1898. Serial No. 673,780. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, RICHARD SoHwARTrNo., of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Crutches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction for the foot-section of a crutch which will admit of a block or plug of a yie-lding material being used in fair weather as a tip for the foot of the crutch, and wherein when the surface to be traveled over is slippery a spur-section may be substituted and employed as a tip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the spur-section whenv used will at each step be thoroughly and automatically cleaned from any material that may have a tendency to cling thereto.

Another object of the invention is to construct the attachment in a simple, durable, and economic manner and so that the tip may be quickly and conveniently changed to render the crutch a safe support under all conditions of Weather.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination' of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of a crutch having the improved foot-section applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the foot portion of the crutch, partly in section, with the tread portion removed. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, illustrating an elastic block or a block of elastic material applied to the foot of the crutch. Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation and partial sectional View of the improved foot for the crutch, illustrating the application to the foot of a bearing or tread for said foot especially adapted for use in slippery weather; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the foot portion of the crutch and the roughened tread or bearing portion applied thereto.

A represents the bottom portion of a crutch, and B the foot or tip thereof. The foot or tip B comprises, preferably, a sleeve 10, secured to the stick or body portion of the crutch in any suitable or approved manner,

and a hollow ferrule-section ll, which is open at its lower end and provided at said lower end with an interior thread 12. The stick or body portion A of the crutch usually extends through the sleeve lO to the ferrule 1l, as 6o shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. When the crutch is to be used in fair weather on a favorable surface, a block 13 of rubber or other elastic material is fitted into the ferrule portion 11 of the foot or tip, as shown in Fig. 3, the

a slippery surface, the elastic block 13 is re- 7e moved from the ferrule 11, and in its stead the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is substituted. The said device consists of a block 14, preferably circular and constructed of metal, the block being of less diameter than 7 5 the interior diameter of the ferrule into which it is introduced. The block is provided at its top with a flange 15, and a spring 16 is secured to the upper portion of the block, usually through the medium of a screw and 8e washer 17, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, the upper end of the spring having bearing against the upper surface of the ferrule or against the lower end of the stick or body A of the crutch. A ring 18 is screwed into the 8'5 bottom portion of the ferrule, loosely surrounding the block 14, so that the block may have sliding movement within the ring, and the ring 18 is provided Within its lower end with a serrated edge or with teeth 19, as shown 9o best in Fig. 4. Normally the spring 16 will force the lower end of the block 14 beyond the teeth 19. When the foot of the crutch is brought in engagement with a surface, as

shown in Fig. 5, the block will be forced upward and the teeth of the ring 19 will engage with such surface and prevent the foot of the crutch from slipping, eifectually holding the foot of the crutch in the position in which it is placed until it is purposely removed, at roo which time the block 14 will be forced outward by the spring 16, and any material that may have clung to the ring 18 at its toothed portion will be cleaned therefrom.

It is evident that the ring 18 affords a maximum of bearing for the foot of the crutch and enables the foot to remain in the position in which it is placed much more eiiectively than if a single central pin Were employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentm l. A foot or tip for crutches, provided with teeth and a device for the purpose of freeing the teeth from substances adhering to them, said device being arranged for movement relatively to and from the teeth and in line With the projections of the teeth, substantially as' specified.

2. In a tip or foot for crutches, a ferrule, a toothed ring removably attached to the lower portion of the ferrule, and a spring-controlled block arranged to have sliding movement in the ferrule and through the said ring, for the 2o purpose specified.

RICHARD SOHVARTING.

Vitnesses:

WILHELM WILcKENs, JNO. C. HAGENAH. 

